Stretcher.



No. 787,848. PATENTBD APR.18, 1905.

G. A. LUNG.

STRETOHER.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.1. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

G. A. LUNG.

STRETGHEK APPLICATION FILED DEU.1, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

attowwg PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

G. A. LUNG. STRETOHBR.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.1, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,848, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed December 1,1904. Serial No. 235,129.

T0 (6 whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. LUNG, surgeon in the United States Navy, have invented an Improved Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a stretcher especially adapted for use on warships for convenience and facility in carrying a wounded or injured person from one part of the vessel to another, inasmuch as the conditions and requirements in this particular instance are usually such that an ordinary apparatus of this kind is inadequate for the purpose.

Owing to the complex structure of a modern man-of-war, its mass of machinery, hoists, &c., accidents to the men employed are of frequent occurrence, and where the injury is of a serious nature it often becomes necessary to move the patient to a more convenient place, usually the sick-bay, for the attendance of the surgeon, and of course the greatest care must be taken in handling the patient. Then an accident to one of the men occurs ata place remote from the sick-bay, the route may cX- tend by way of long narrow passages, down or up numerous steep ladders, and through small hatches or manholes, and in such instances it is a difiicult and tedious matter to safely handle the patient with the ordinary appliances. These conditions prevailing in times of peace are of course greatly multiplied in times of war when the vessel is in action, as then the quick and safe removal of the wounded and injured becomes an important problem. Under all these conditions it is necessary in a severe case that the body of the injured be easily and yet firmly supported on the stretcher to prevent movement of the injured or fractured part, no matter in what position the stretcher may be disposed in carrying the patient. It is also necessary that the stretcher be sufiicientl narrow to pass through the many narrow openings and manholes through which the patient must be taken and that the stretcher must be light in construction, consistently with the requiredstrength,

and yet properly protect the body of the patient. Though especially designed for the particular service mentioned, it will be obvious that my improved stretcher may be employed in all other instances where a device of this character is desired.

\Vith the foregoing in view 1 have devised a stretcher which comprises a light frame suitably braced, a canvas covering placed over this frame to provide a comfortable support for the patient, an apron adapted to envelop and closely fit the major portion of the body of the patient, such apron having means for quickly and properly securing the same, and handholds for convenience in handling the device, all as hereinafter particularly described, and specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the stretcher alone, the parts of the apron being swung back. Fig. 3 is a side view. Fig. i is a transverse sectional view on the line I4: of Fig. 2. Fig.

5 is a view of the frame with the canvas covering removed.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In carrying out my invention the frame A of the stretcher comprises the side pieces (I (I, end pieces a a, and the intermediate crosspieces (6 (4 which are secured together in any suitable manner, the corners being preferably reinforced by the angle-plates (1 At their upper portion the intermediate cross-pieces a are cut away, as shown in Fig. I, so that the major portion of the upper edges thereof will be disposed below the plane of the upper edges of the side pieces, and said cross-pieces are so located in the frame with respect to the body of a normal person as to be below the small of the back and the knee-joints of a person lying on the stretcher. The several pieces constituting this frame are of wood, preferably ash, to provide a light and strong frame work for the stretcher.

B designates a canvas covering, which in the present instance is in the form of a bag open at one end and adapted to be slipped over the frame, so that the upper and lower portions of the former Will extend across opposite sides of the latter. In forming this bag the upper part thereof is preferably provided with an opening centrally and longitudinally for nearly its full length, as shown, in which instance the opposite side portions 6 b are connected by a lacing-cord G, threaded througheyelets 0 along the edges of said side portions. At what will be the head of the stretcher there is a canvas piece I) stitched or otherwise secured to the side portions Z), and this canvas piece provides acomfortable headrest. At the other or open end of the canvas bag there is a closing-flap 6 which may be folded under the side portions 5 and laced thereto by the lacing-cord C, the said flap having eyelets 0 for such purpose. WV hen the covering or bag is applied, it is tightly stretched across the frame by drawing upon the lacing-cord C, which latter is afterward suitably tied, as at 0 and the upper part,comprising the opposite portions band lacingcord G, becomes the support for the body of the patient. The nature of this support is such that it will readily conform to the body laid upon it and comfortably and yieldingly support the same during transportation, while that part of the bag at the under side of the stretcher being drawn taut by the weight of the patient forms a protection for the latter.

For the purpose of handling the device straps D, preferably canvas strips, are attached 'to the ends of the bag and extend therefrom along each side of the bag a suitable distance, such straps being attached to the bag at intervals, as at (Z, so as to form a number of grasping-loops or handholds d.

For the purpose of securing the patient to the stretcher as firmly and rigidly as possible I have provided an apron consisting of the canvas or textile sheets or flaps E E, which are attached at their inner edges to the side portions Z) of the canvas covering or bag B and are adapted to be folded closely over the body of the patient and secured in any suitable manner, preferably by means of the lacing-strings f herein shown, which latter engage rows of hooks f on the flaps. This apron is of such length as to extend from the axillae to the ankles of a person of normal height. The flaps which form the apron are I attached at the inner edge of the side portions 6, preferably by rows of stitches s and incidentally by the eyelets c, and those portions of the flaps which envelop the body of the patient from the aXillae to the buttocks are further secured by additional rows of stitches 3', located near the edges of the stretcher, so that at this point the attachment of the apron to the support will be nearer the sides of the body and prevent sidewise movement;

Below this point the flaps of the apron being secured nearer the center of the stretcher will closely envelop the legs-and hold the same practically rigidly to the'support. By closely enveloping the body and legs and conforming to their shape the apron provides a uniform and even support, so that no matter in what position the stretcher may be placed during transportation the patient will be held firmly and comfortably and without undue movement of any part of his body. In other words, the stretcher in connection with the apron acts in the capacity of a splint for the entire body, thus providing in a general way for all kinds of injuries. It will be understood, of course, that suitable padding or cushions may be placed where desired before lacing up the apron, and in some instances a mattress may be fastened in with the patient to add to his comfort. In such cases where the patient is not so badly hurt but that he can assist in his removal or simply as a matter of comfort his arms may be left out of the apron; but in other instances, especially in case of fracture of the arms, they are placed under the apron in proper position before the latter is laced. Where pressure on any part of the patient within the application of the apron may be harmful, the lacing may be interrupted at intervals instead of being laced continuously.

The operation of securing the patient to the stretcher by means of the canvas flaps or apron can be quickly accomplished, for with said flaps thrown back and after the patient is properly placed on the stretcher first one of the flaps is drawn over the body and then the other, after which said flaps are more closely drawn and secured by lacing the strings fonto the hooks f in the usual manner and then tying said strings, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The location of the loops (Z provide for handling the stretcher under varying conditions. For instance, in lowering the same through a manhole or over the side of a vessel the loops at the upper end are grasped or engaged by suitable lowering devices, and when several can assist in carrying the device the loops at the sides are grasped.

The bag-like covering and apron can be readily removed from the frame of the stretcher for the purpose of washing such covering and apron and for cleaning the frame. The apparatus can therefore be easily kept clean and sanitary. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a stretcher, the combination, of a support, an apron attached longitudinally to the central portion of said support, and means I end, hooks attached to the free longitudinal for securing the apron closely over the body edges of the flaps, and lacings engaging said of a person placed on the stretcher.

2. In a stretcher, the combination, of a support, an apron attached longitudinally to the central portion of said support and adapted to cover the body and legs of a person placed thereon, and means for drawing the apron together closely over the body and legs.

In a stretcher, the combination, of a support, an apron adapted to cover the body and legs of a person placed on the support and comprising two portions or flaps attached longitudinally to the central portion of said support, and means for drawing said portions or flaps together closely over the body and legs of the person.

at. In a stretcher, the combination, of a support, an apron comprising two portions or flaps attached longitudinally to said support and adapted to cover the body and legs of a person placed on the stretcher, and means for drawing the two portions or flaps together closely over the body and legs of the person.

5. In a stretcher, the combination, of a support, an apron attached longitudinally t0 the central portion of said support and adapted to cover the body and legs of a person placed thereon, and lacing-strings for drawing the apron together closely over the body and legs of the person.

(5. In a stretcher, the combination, of a support, an apron comprising two portions or flaps attached longitudinally to the central portion of said support and adapted to cover the body and legs of a person placed thereon, hooks near the free longitudinal edges of said flaps, and lacing-strings adapted to engage the hooks and draw the flaps together closely over the body and legs of the person.

'7. In a stretcher, the combination, of a support, an apron attached longitudinally to the central portion of said support at opposite sides of the longitudinal center thereof and at one end farther from said center than at the other end, and means for drawing the apron closely over the body and legs of a person placed on the stretcher.

S. In a stretcher, the combination, of a support, an apron comprising two portions or flaps attached longitudinally to the central portion of said support at opposite sides of the longitudinal center thereof and at one end farther away from said center than at the other end, and means for drawing the flaps together closely over the body and legs of a person placed on the stretcher.

9. In a stretcher, the combination, of a support, an apron comprising two portions or flaps attached longitudinally to the central portion of said support at opposite sides of the longitudinal center thereof and at one end farther away from said center than at the other hooks and adapted to draw the flaps closely over the body and legs of a person placed on the stretcher.

10. In a stretcher, the combination, ofasupport, an apron comprising two portions or flaps attached to the central portion of said support and at one end further attached nearer the edges of the support, and means for drawing the portions or flaps together and securing them.

11. Ina stretcher, the combination, ofa supporting-frame comprising side pieces and cross-pieces connected to said side pieces, a bag-like covering placed over said frame and extending across the upper and lower sides thereof, an apron attached longitudinally to the central portion of the covering at opposite sides of the longitudinal center thereof and adapted to cover the body and legs of a person placed on the stretcher, and means for drawing the apron together closely over the body and legs of the person.

12. In astretchcr, the combination, ofa supporting-frame comprising side pieces and cross-pieces connecting the same, a bag-like covering placed over said frame, straps attached to the ends and sides of the bag-like covering, and an apron attached longitudinally to the bag-like covering and provided with means for securing the same.

13. In a stretcher, the combination, ofasupporting-frame comprising side pieces and cross-pieces connecting the same, a bag-like covering placed over the frame, straps attached to the ends and sides of said bag-like covering, an apron comprising two parts or flaps attached longitudinally to the bag-like covering and provided with hooks, and a lacing-string engaging the hooks.

14. In a stretcher, the combination, of a frame, a bag-like covering placed over the same and having an opening in one side thereof, a lacing-cord for drawing the parts of the bag together, straps at the ends and sides of the bag to provide grasping portions, an apron comprising two parts or flaps attached to the bag-like covering at the edges of the opening therein, and a lacing for drawing the portions or flaps of the apron together and securing the same, substantially as shown and described.

15. In a stretcher, the combination, of a frame comprising side pieces, end pieces, and intermediate cross-pieces, the upper edges of the latter being below the plane of the upper edges of the side pieces, a bag-like covering placed over said frame to extend across the upper and lower sides thereof, said covering having a longitudinal opening in one side thereof, a lacing-cord connecting the portions of the bag at opposite sides of the opening IIO and adapted to stretch the covering over the frame, straps secured to the ends and sides of the bag-like covering to provide grasping portions or loops, an apron comprising two portions or flaps attached to the bag-like covering at the edges of the longitudinal opening therein, hooks on said flaps, and a lacing-cord adapted to engage the hooks and draw the portions or flaps of the apron together over the body of a person on the stretcher, sub- 10 stantially as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE A. LUNG. Witnesses:

ROY LEE VVALFORD, WVALTER DENT GREEN. 

